Subject: LOCKED IN LOVE by Beverly Rae
From: <Saved by Windows Internet Explorer 7>
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:09:42 -0800

BEVERLY RAE’S FANTASIES

SEPTEMBER 2005  -  SHORT STORY

http://www.beverlyrae.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Beverly_Rae_Fantasies/

LOCKED IN LOVE by Beverly Rae

Sandy Walker gawked at the woman standing behind the desk. “What did you say?”

The lady, who Sandy thought looked amazingly like Nicole Remington, mega-super star of the daytime drama, “To Have and To Hold”, reached over and took her hand. “Honey, you said you were looking for a job, right?”

Sandy stammered, still trying to understand everything Ms. Cramer had said during the course of the confusing interview. “Uh, yeah, I did, but…”

Had she heard her correctly? Had this elegant woman just offered her a job as an handcuff salesperson? Images of wild sex orgies scampered through her mind, dredging up both excitement and apprehension. What would her mother think?

“Well, then, do you want the position or not?” Ms. Cramer inclined her head and cocked an eyebrow at her. “Speak up, yay or nay. I don’t have time to waste on your indecision. I have others begging for this job, so if you don’t want it, then—“

“I’ll take it!” Sandy’s abrupt decision thrust her forward and out of her chair. Realizing she still had her hand in the air, and Ms. Cramer’s lips were twitching in an attempt not to laugh, she plopped back down and tried to regain some of her former composure.

“Good.” Shoving some paperwork across the desk, the older lady smiled and sat back. “Fill those out and I’ll get you started right away. Roberto will come over to your home to demonstrate all the different handcuffs, all right?” Sliding her stylish glasses to her nose, she questioned, “If you’re sure…”

Could her face get any hotter? Sandy lifted her head and tried to appear worldly. No need for her boss to know she’d arrived in Los Angeles only a week earlier. She’d already heard all too often what California people thought of “those hicks from Kansas.” “Oh, yeah, I’m so sure. Send Roberto over.”

Was she nuts? She’d just invited a strange man to her home to demonstrate a variety of handcuffs to her!

Sandy frowned and managed to remember the name of her new place of employment, To Have and To Hold. At first she’d assumed the company did wedding planning. Maybe wedding showers. But when Ms. Cramer began detailing the job requirements, she’d understood the real meaning behind “to have and to hold.”

Ms. Cramer saw right through her. She knew it from the smug smile on her face. But, thankfully, she didn’t rub Sandy’s nose in it.

“True enough. Roberto will give you a few pointers…about the company, of course.” She wrote a name and number on a post-it and handed it to Sandy. “That’s Roberto’s number. You give him a call and set up a convenient time to get together, okay? He’s also my right-hand man and handles supplies, so he’ll get your kit together.”

Sandy took the red paper and stared at it. Was she really going to do this? All her life she’d dreamed of becoming an actress and moving to Hollywood. She’d known she’d have to work as a waitress or shop girl, but she’d never expected to have to work as a handcuff salesperson. Who knew that kind of salesperson existed? But with a zillion actresses in the city, she’d had no luck finding another job.

“So, I just call him anytime? When am I actually on the clock?”

Ms. Cramer ran her tongue over her Collagen-filled lips. “As I explained before—weren’t you listening?—you get paid by commission. So the more parties you do, the more sales you rack up, the more money you make. Couldn’t be more simple.”

Sandy nodded, wondering if she should back out now while she still had a chance. But that edge of determination her overbearing mother had always called stubbornness rose up inside her, driving her to stand and shake the lady’s hand. She’d promised herself she’d do whatever it took to become a famous actress and she wasn’t about to stop at the first obstacle.

“Yes, ma’am, seems simple enough.”

“Honey, please don’t call me ma’am. Nobody in L.A., under the age of eighty, wants to be called ma’am. Since you’re one of my ladies now, you can call me Ruby.”

“Yes, ma’-Ruby. I won’t let you down, I promise.” She straightened up, trying to inject confidence in her tone as much as in her heart.

Ruby showed her bright-white teeth, and Sandy imagined how many dentist trips it had taken her to get them so brilliant. Yet the gleam in the older lady’s eye brought a lump to Sandy’s throat.

“Oh, I know you won’t, honey. You’re going to do very well.”

*****

The knock on her door skyrocketed her already jumpy nerves past Pluto and into the next solar system. Taking one last look around her tiny studio apartment, Sandy inhaled, gathered her courage and opened her door.

Her breath rushed from her as surprise, relief, and lust rushed through her.

Oh, please let this be Roberto.

His black eyes twinkled as he ran a hand through his long, obsidian hair. The hair, so soft and shiny, framed a tanned, rugged face, a face used to being outdoors…and in bedrooms, she’d bet…for hours at a time.

“Sandy Walker?”

His voice matched his appearance. A strong, sexy, vibrant, melt-your-knees dripping with sexual undertones kind of voice. Several seconds past while Sandy continued to stare at him.

“I ask again. Are you Sandy Walker?”

Her mind kick-jumped into action. “Y-yes, I am. Roberto?”

He nodded and held up the black case he held. “That’s me.” He dipped his head, turning to smile at Mrs. Rubinstein spying through her slightly opened door. “Along with the handcuffs.”

Mrs. Rubinstein’s eyes widened as her mouth fell open. Sandy could hear her ranting about “degenerates in the building” after she’d slammed the door. Sandy knew the older lady would have something to say when they met in the laundry room again and it wasn’t likely to be good.

Sighing at the thought, she managed to step back and invite Roberto inside. “I’m sorry. I zoned out for a second.”  While I stared at your incredible bod.  “Come in.”

He sauntered into her one-room apartment and glanced around. She winced, hoping he wouldn’t make fun of her humble home. Instead, he nodded as he surveyed the area. “Nice and cozy. I can see your tender touch in the personal items around the room. Very homey.”

Again, she sighed. Something about this hunk seemed to bring out the sighs in her.

Gesturing to the loveseat—Oh, damn, why couldn’t she have a full-blown couch like other people—she sat down and watched as he slid into place close to her. Very close to her.

“Sandy, I’m glad you’re going to work for us. This business is unusual, yes, but fun. Once you get over the initial nervousness, you’ll loosen up and have a good time at the parties.”

Okay, so he’d seen her nervousness. Sandy swallowed and watched as he flipped the black lid open. Laying on red velvet, a group of handcuffs of various sizes and shapes glistened under the overhead light.

“I see one of our styles has already caught your eye.” Roberto lifted a pair of cuffs lined with pink fur. “The Pink Lady is a favorite of the ladies. Although not our best-seller.” He held the cuffs to her and motioned for her to take them. “Go on. The quicker you get used to handling them, the more natural you’ll be in front of the customers.”

Sandy took the handcuffs from Roberto and, in doing so, brushed her fingers against his. She paused when she did, sneaking a peek at his face, and caught him staring at her. A rush of adrenalin zipped through her, making her want more than a mere touch of his skin next to hers.

“Um, these are nice. And I do like pink.”

“Yes, but they’re nothing special.”

Had she failed some sort of newbie test? She looked back and forth at him and then the handcuffs, hoping to see what else she might be missing.

“You don’t look like our normal salesgirl.”

“I don’t.” She looked down at her skirt and blouse. “Do I need to do something different about my appearance?”

“No. You’re perfect.”

She whipped her gaze back to him and stared. “I am?”

“Sure. You’ve got that innocent, mid-west look and the school lady skirt and blouse just add to the image. But, hey, it can’t hide your awesome body. And that golden hair with the blue eyes is an absolute killer.”

She blushed, hating the red she knew would crawl from her cheeks down her neck. “Oh.”

His laugh, God his sexy, deep-throated chuckle, ran heat over her body like she’d just stepped into a steam room. “Don’t worry about anything. You’ll do great. I’m going to let you keep this case and you can take your time getting used to them. Plus, the paperwork is self-explanatory, so I’ll let you read that on your own time. If you have any problems, just give me a call.”

Relief and disappointment swept through her. “You will? But what about the keys? I don’t see any keys. What if I put a pair on and lose the key?” Did she sound as idiotic as she felt?

He picked up a leopard covered handcuff and flicked them on his wrist. “Not to worry. Here’s the trick.” He lifted a flap of near the part of the cuff where they latched together, exposed and pushed a tiny button, and took off the cuff. “If you loose the keys, all the cuffs can be unlocked by pushing the escape button.”

Sandy fumbled as she opened the Pink Lady cuffs and slipped one around her wrist. Lifting the pink material, she pushed the little button and the metal popped open. “You’re right. That was easy.”

His reassuring smile left her feeling a bit dizzy. Why was he having such a major affect on her?

Because, Dorothy, there ain’t no one like him back home in Kansas.

“You’re catching on fine. Now, there’s just one more thing I need to cover before I leave.”

Oh, please don’t let him leave. Not yet.

Reaching for the top of the case, he zipped open the flap and took out a regular-looking pair of handcuffs. Holding it up for her inspection, he wiggled them and exclaimed, “Now here’s our best-seller. In fact, the Love Bracelet outsells all our other models, hands down.”

Sandy squinted her eyes and examined the plain metallic cuffs as closely as she could. Yet she could find nothing extraordinary about them. But there had to be something unique, right? Why else would these be the top selling handcuffs?

Again, he let out another crotch warming laugh. “Don’t break your sight trying to figure this out, Sandy. You can’t see the reason they’re so spectacular.”

She nodded and waited for an explanation. “Oh, I see.”  Not really.

“The Love Bracelet sales for a thousand dollars.” The gleam in his eye left no doubt about his seriousness.

Sandy’s mouth dropped wide as she shook her head. “You’ve got to be kidding. Why? Are all the handcuffs that expensive? If so, how do you ever make a sale?”

He ran his fingers over the smooth metal. “Nope. The other handcuffs are reasonably priced. But once a customer finds out what the Love Bracelet does, she usually forks over the thousand faster than you can write up the sales receipt.”

Sandy inclined her head, intent on understanding the mystery. “Okay, I give up. What’s so special about these bracelets?”

Roberto held the cuffs in the palms of his hands, as tenderly as one would hold a small kitten. “The Love Bracelet will tell you if the wearer is your true love.”

“What?” She’d expected a strange answer, but nothing this weird.

“You put these babies on a man, and they’ll tell you if he’s the one for you.”

Was this a joke the employees of To Have and To Hold played on the new recruits? Or was Roberto being a jerk all on his own?

“Very funny. Ha, ha. Let’s sucker the newbie, right?” Sandy sat back, leaning against the arm of the loveseat. “Sorry, but I may be from Kansas, but I’m not that naive.”

Roberto’s exuberance dissipated in a second. “Sandy, I’m telling you the truth. Trust me on this. Or call Mrs. Cramer if you want and ask her. In fact, I’ve sold lots of these and know they work.”

Sandy studied the boring cuffs again. Should she believe him? If she didn’t, would he get angry? Deciding not to make waves, she nodded and agreed. “Okay, I believe you. So how does it work?”

“It’s very simple. You just put the cuffs on the one you want to test and the cuffs will heat up. They won’t get too hot. Just hot enough for you to know.”

“Really?” She took the cuffs from him and ran them through her hands.

“But that’s not all.”

She swallowed, unsure if she wanted to know more. Yet needing to know more.

“Not only do the cuffs get warm, so does the wearer. Warm as in hot and horny. But only for the object of attraction. And only if they’re meant for each other.”

An itch spread through the palms of her hands as the idea grew in her brain. “So…maybe you’d like to show me how they work?” From the moment he’d shown her the case of bracelets, she’d been dying to put some on him. So why not the best they had to offer? After all, if they didn’t work—and she had no doubt they wouldn’t—then what would be the harm?

Roberto’s eyebrows furrowed while he considered her proposal, making Sandy wish she could take back her proposition. But she remained quiet, hoping against hope he’d take up her quasi-challenge.

“Okay.”

Sandy’s breathing stopped and she had to, just had to make certain she’d heard him correctly. “Did you say okay?”

How had she not noticed the cleft in his chin? Or the way the corner of his eyes crinkled when he smiled? He was obviously Hispanic, which Sandy had always found attractive. Could she handle this hot Hispanic lover?

Roberto stuck out his arms, wrist close together in an imitation of a criminal under arrest. Sandy swallowed, took a big breath and enclosed one of his wrists in a cuff. She shivered and paused to reconsider her idea. But Roberto wasn’t one to wait.

Dipping his head so he could smile into her face, he crooked his index finger and motioned for her to slap the other cuff on. She did so, jumping at the finality of the “click” as the cuff snapped shut.

Giggling, she squeezed the cuffs in a playful attempt to minimize the nervousness he could so easily see in her. “There. All done.” She giggled again. “Uh, since we just met, I know there’s no sense in leaving them on—“ The expression on his face stopped her in mid-sentence. “Roberto? What’s wrong?”

His stunned look caught her heart and held it. His dark eyes deepened, turning blacker than night, while snaring her eyes and dragging them deep inside his. The tips of his mouth curved upward slightly, as if he was enjoying a special thought, and he held up his hands in front of him.

“Roberto?” The quiver in her voice came from his intense regard for her, tripping her nerves into a higher state of panic.

“Sandy?” He took her hand in both of his. “Touch the handcuffs.”

She inhaled sharply, but fought to maintain some dignity. Could he be testing her? Joking with her? “Why?”

“Just touch them.” When she hesitated, he pushed her. “Now.”

Without thinking, she placed her free hand over the metal and immediately snatched both hands away. The cuffs were quite warm. Not hot, but warm enough. Sitting back, she narrowed her eyes at him. “This is some kind of mean joke, isn’t it?” She flipped her hand toward the cuffs. “They’re a trick pair, aren’t they?”

His smile vanished and he reached out to take her hand again. “No. Please. I swear on my grandmother’s grave. This is no joke. Sandy, you’re the one.”

“Okay, now this is taking a joke too far. I mean, I like a good laugh once in awhile, but this isn’t funny.” She leaned back as he slid closer to her.

Taking her hands in his, he pulled them to his chest. “Feel my heart? Feel it pounding? I’m not joking. You, Sandy, are the one woman for me.”

Sandy glanced from their hands to his earnest face. Could this be true? Is this why she’d felt such attraction to him? Still, she needed to be sure. “What if I put on one of the links?”

“Then you would know I’m the man for you.”

Wasting no time, she found the release button and flipped one of the cuffs open. Wrapping it over her wrist, she clicked the cuff closed. And waited.

Within seconds, a circle of heat covered her wrist and she tucked her head to stare at it. Was this really happening? Surprised, yet excited, she raised her head and smiled.

I want him. I don’t know how, but I know I want him.

He returned her smile and when he did, she laced her fingers with his, clanging the links together. Leaning toward him, she closed her eyes and waited.

Roberto’s lips caressed hers, tickling the space between them with his tongue. She opened just enough for her to tease his tip with the tip of her tongue, until she couldn’t stand it any longer. She pushed closer, nipping his lower lip with her teeth.

He groaned, a slow, warm sound that flowed into her mouth. Holding her to him with the kiss, he ran his hand over her breasts, bringing her nipple to a peak with his thumb.

Sandy arched her back, delighting in his touch, and brought her hand to her blouse. Beginning to unbutton, she found herself amazed that she wasn’t embarrassed or inhibited. Instead, she relished in the moment and her womanhood.

Roberto reached for the cuffs and released them from their wrists. The heat between them, however, remained as he pulled her to him. Tenderly, he removed her clothing, piece by piece, while he ran his eyes over her body.

“You’re beautiful.” His lips found her nipple and teased, sending quivers of lust echoing through her. “And you’re mine.”

Somehow, while her eyes were closed and he feasted on her breasts, he’d shed his clothes. She gasped as his naked body met hers and luxuriated in the texture of his skin under his fingers.

“Roberto.”

“Shh. No more talking.” He coaxed her into spreading her legs as his narrow hips rested between them. His shaft, firm and long, rubbed against her curls and the pleasure he gave her with his tongue made her wet with desire.

Rotating her hips, she maneuvered his shaft into place and pulled his face to hers. “Now, Roberto. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

He touched her cheek and reached into a pocket of his jeans lying on the floor beside them. With quick movements, he opened the condom package and slipped it on.

Sandy hurried him with nips to his nipples and let her hands fondle his balls. “Please, Roberto. Now.”

He drove into her, knocking her breath out of her. Sliding in slow, measured thrusts, she watched, panting, as he threw his head back and shouted. Her cries soon joined him.

Minutes passed, but he remained on top of her, their sweat and juices running together. Roberto’s hands caressed her curves while she ran her fingernails along his torso and played with his hair.

“Do you want me to get up?”

She giggled, happy for the first time since moving from Kansas, and shook her head. “Nope. Not ever.”

“’Not ever’ is a very long time, my love.”

“I don’t care.”

He chuckled, kissed her on the cheek and lifted his body from hers even as she tried to hold him to her. “I have to go, Sandy.”

The shock, the idea of his leaving sent a sharp pain slicing through her. He had to leave already? “No. Please don’t go.”

“I have to. I don’t have a choice.”

Her heart clutched tightly when she saw the forlorn expression on his features. Alarm filtered through her joy as she realized he kept his eyes averted from hers.

Pushing up on the loveseat, she brought her knees to her chest and curled into a ball. “What do you mean you don’t have a choice?”

For a second, her heart broke, a forewarning of the answer he would give. How could this happen to her? Why hadn’t she thought to check first?

Finally, he turned to her, squatted next to her and took her hands in his. She stared at their joined hands and remembered how they’d looked earlier when things weren’t so wrong. “If I’d known I would find you, I would have waited. But how could I have known?”

She drew her hands away from him, afraid his touch might hurt her as much as his words. “I don’t understand.”

“Sandy, I’m so sorry. But I have to go home. I have to return…to my wife.”

THE END

Copyright © Beverly Rae 2005

All Rights Reserved